Whether you believe in global warming or not, there's no denying the cold, hard facts supplied by impartial thermometer readings. Here's the most recent fact: July 2007 was the hottest month in Ketchum since 1940 when records began being kept.
Last month's average temperature, calculated from the Ketchum Ranger Station's official maximum and minimum daily readings, was 68.9 degrees, significantly higher than the 60.2 of the first July entry in the books.
With a high of 93, logged on July 7, last month saw a maximum average of 86.3, the second highest on record behind 86.7, recorded in 1974. This average maximum temperature is more than 6 degrees higher than the average for the years 1971 through 2000. That average was calculated by the National Weather Service to be 80.2.
In conjunction with unusually dry weather, these increasing temperatures cannot be good news for area firefighters, who have been extremely busy, as exemplified by the 100-acre fire in Indian Creek on July 25.
In addition, city officials in both Hailey and Bellevue have expressed concern over their towns' water supplies, stating that the hot weather has led to an increase in water consumption for irrigation, despite the existing low water levels caused by decreased precipitation throughout winter and spring.
If history is any indication, the average temperature should drop by a degree or two in August, but without any sustained rainfall, this would likely provide little relief to fire crews and city water departments alike.
